Magnolia Cafe South

(512) 445-0000

1920 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704 30.2449 -97.7516

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Neighborhoods: South River City, Greater South River City

Price:

$

Magnolia Cafe South

Magnolia Cafe South

What People Are Saying About Magnolia Cafe South

The Editor

Contributor

Citysearch

In Short – It's bohemian, but clean and comfortable, brightly painted and calm, even though it's loud and packed. Musicians, actors, artists, couples, students and families put their names on the list and wait--they've done this before and know it's worth it. The menu offers home-style food in large portions to satisfy vegetarians and omnivores: Fish tacos in voodoo spices in creamy Southwestern tartar sauce, barbecue chicken enchiladas and huge salads loaded with veggies.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/12/09

What's The Deal

by marc1067 at Citysearch

This place never fails...I don't know why there is bad reviews...I never have had a bad experience at this wonderful establishment.maybe it all the hipster aspect coming thru the invisible screen that is set up before Fran's(another great place)You come in,wait for Daniel or somebody else to call your name (after you sign in on busy days)get a booth,enjoy the great artwork,with some Delicious Chips and Salsa(which is always good..i would put it up against any other salsa in the city)order your food from the cool menu....service is prompt and always served with a smile by everyday Austinites that are from the city and not dress like the people you see walking around Home Slice or Guerro's.the porions are always huge and the bill is always reasonable.yea I love this place.SUPPORT LOCAL!

  • Pros: everything
  • Cons: hipsters filtering in thru the screen set up by fran's
1 Star Rating: Poor

03/27/09

Go to Galaxy Cafe instead!

by squarah at Citysearch

Magnolia Cafe is one of the most overrated places in Austin. The service is bad, the restaurant is always very dirty, parking is a royal pain, and the food is nothing to write home about. The only thing I would recommend are the pancakes and hibiscus tea, but it's not worth putting up with everything else.

I would, however, strongly recommend Galaxy Cafe. The food is great, it has a really nice atmosphere, the service is fast, and the people who work there don't look like they are in desperate need of a shower like at Magnolia!

  • Pros: good pancakes
  • Cons: bad service, very dirty, mediocre food
2 Star Rating: Below Average

02/12/09

Bad tex-mex

by noah717 at Citysearch

Let me start off by saying that the service and atmosphere is great. The waitstaff is awesome and other food menu items are tasty. However, I DO NOT recommend the cheese enchiladas. I ordered them and they looked like a plate of slop. The smell made my friend lose his appetite. It seemed as though all they did was take cheap store bought corn tortillas, filled them with cheese, zapped them in a microwave, then poured more cheese over them which made the dish soup enchiladas and popped them in the microwave again. Then added the disgusting mild sauce. The rice and beans had no flavor whatsoever. The best thing I got was a coke! My advice, stick to other items and avoid the tex-mex, unless you are used to crappy tex-mex. But taco bell was like fine dining compared to Magnolia on S. Congress.

  • Pros: awesome waitstaff, nice atmosphere
  • Cons: cheese enchiladas, rice, and beans

The Details on Magnolia Cafe South

Know Before You Go:

The dinner specials are more expensive and fancier than the regular fare. Delicious pastas with seafood are often featured and there's plenty for vegetarians.

When to Go:

You'll find lines at peak hours like weekend brunch and late night.

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Breakfast, Family-Friendly Dining, Quiet, Brunch, People Watching, Family Style Dining, Lunch Spot, Group Dining, Cheap Eats

General Info:

Open 24 Hours

Cuisine:

Traditional American

Smoking Permitted:

No

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